Shloka 38

Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga

Body-Relinquishment

Devanagari script

यं वै विश्वस्य कर्तारें जगतस्तस्थुषां पतिम्‌ | वदन्ति जगतोड<थध्यक्षमक्षरं परमं पदम्‌

Transliteration

yaṃ vai viśvasya kartāraṃ jagatas tasthuṣāṃ patim | vadanti jagato 'dhyakṣam akṣaraṃ paramaṃ padam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Người ta tôn xưng Ngài là đấng tạo tác toàn thể vũ trụ, là chúa tể của mọi loài động và tĩnh—đấng giám sát thế gian, thực tại bất hoại, nơi nương tựa tối thượng.”

Word by Word

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: विश्व
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कर्तारम्: creator/maker
• कर्तारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जगतः: of the world
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तस्थुषाम्: of those that stand (the stationary beings)
• Type: Participle
• Root: स्था
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• पतिम्: lord/master
• पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वदन्ति: they say/call
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• जगतः: of the world
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अध्यक्षम्: overseer/superintendent
• अध्यक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: अक्षर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पदम्: state/abode/goal
• पदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Īśvara/Brahman (the imperishable supreme principle)
• jagat (the world/universe)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse identifies the highest reality as the imperishable supreme abode—both the creator and sovereign of all beings, moving and unmoving—emphasizing a single ultimate principle that grounds cosmic order and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and higher knowledge; here he points to the supreme Lord/Brahman as the world’s overseer and final refuge, framing ethical life within a metaphysical source and goal.